Monday, September 19, 2022

There is one key strategy towards you having improved mental health – it's developing intentional rhythms of gratitude to God.

We know you’ve heard this before, but notice a key difference: intentional rhythms. It may not sound like much, but having a spirit of thankfulness is cultivated through an intentional practice. It does change your perspective and well-being, and it also grows you spiritually and increases your awareness of God at work all around you. 

Try this: Spend 2 min (set a timer if you need to) writing out 5-10 things you are thankful for. Don’t worry; spelling and neatness don’t count. Just do it. If you have little ones, let them draw pictures or tell you the things they are thankful for and you add them to your list. Then take 1 more minute and pray thanking God for each of those things.

Resource: https://beagoby.com/goby-summer-part-three/

Parents of Kids & Students:

Kids' and teenagers’ moods are often inconsistent, which might make it difficult to notice if there’s something deeper going on in their minds or if it’s just where they are developmentally.

The key is to take note of anything unusual, including:

• Persistent sadness lasting two weeks or more
• Excessive worry that won’t go away, even after reassurance
• Excessive guilty feelings
• Withdrawing or avoiding peers and social interactions
• Change in their academic performance
• Avoiding or missing school
• Extreme irritability or emotional outbursts
• Drastic mood, behavior, or personality changes
• Frequent complaints of headaches or stomachaches (especially for younger kids)
• Trouble concentrating
• Self-harm
• Talking about death or suicide 
• If you’re not sure if there is a real issue, consult a mental health provider or pediatrician who can do an evaluation and determine a treatment plan.

A next step you can take to reflect is if you are concerned about your child’s mental health, put a checkmark next to any of the warning signs that you may be wondering about. Pray for your child by name and replace each of these things in your prayer with what God wants for them (and for you). If they are self-harming or talking about death and suicide, get help immediately. You can call the National Hotline for Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988, 24 hours a day. Your pediatrician is also a resource to talk through what you are seeing and discuss potential next steps. Your child's Group leader, and our Student Directors can also be a part of a support system as you and your child take steps.